Thursday, July 31, 2008

Templeton Turtle Goes Exploring

Ron Pridmore's first book, Templeton Turtle Goes Exploring, is sure to be a hit.  The story is based on a dream and tells about a baby turtle as he journeys around his pond for the first time, meeting animals of every size and personalities.  Templeton experiences disappointment, friendship, fear and ultimately community.  My children, 7 and 4, both give the book a thumbs up.

The book is beautifully illustrated by Michele-lee Phelan and my daughter enjoyed quietly looking at the pictures afterwards, searching for fish and other details.

Ron Pridmore is a strong advocate of letting children experience wildlife and the outdoors, especially in this age of television and video games.  According to the Children and Nature Network, 8-year-old children can identify 25 percent more Pokemon characters than wildlife species.  "I hope that Templeton's story will inspire other children to spend more time outside," Pridmore says.  "With the green movement continually growing in prominence and the state of our environment in the balance, it's more important than ever for our kids to have an appreciation for nature."

Ron Pridmore answered some of my questions about his new book:

  1. Did the story of the book really come from a dream?  Yes, the story came from a dream I had. When I woke up the story was so real, it felt like I was there. In my dream Templeton didn't have a name, he was just a turtle that I dreamed about. I wrote the story just as I dreamed it.
  2. How would you suggest that children explore the outside world safely in this age of Lyme disease and West Nile cirus?  I would suggest, in the case of Lyme disease, to try and go to parks with nice walking trails that have been cleared of over-grown brush and trees. When you get home check one another to make sure you don't have any ticks on your body and take a warm shower. These steps should protect you from Lyme disease. Here in Napa we have several parks with nice walking trails, and I have never had a problem with ticks. For the West Nile virus I would suggest that before you go hiking spray yourself with Off Deep Woods mosquito repellent. It has long-lasting protection and also helps protect from ticks. Mosquitoes are stubborn, so take the can of spray with you in your back pack just in case you need to spray yourself again. If you follow these suggestions you will be fine and can enjoy the outdoors safely.

If you visit Eco-Libris by August 2nd, you can also enter to win their review copy of Templeton Turtle Goes Exploring.

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